Category Archives: gratitude

Receiving is a good thing though they say giving is more important. Receiving is not what we think it is as in birthday presents and people doing you a favor. Those are all part of it, but to me, receiving is a state.

A state is a condition that we experience, FEEL. Most of us don’t have a clue about how to receive. Guilt plays a big role. We have to live by the convention of “I scratch your back so you scratch mine.”

It is an exchange of energy between people and I don’t disregard that, but receiving is so much more. It’s a state of “grace”, of being fulfilled, of gratitude for life as a whole, not just the perks we get.

When you’re in a state of receiving you are not chasing anything, no gains, no positions, no desires, no wants. You are open to receive whatever comes, but if you are filled with gratitude for life, mostly good things come to you.

It’s not easy to gain that state of receiving in a consistent manner, but by examining life and all those beliefs and habits that hold us back, we can learn to accept it ALL, and from there gain appreciation about the mystery of life.

We basically don’t know any more than newborn babies. They know more that we do in a greater sense. They are still pure and innocent, as we once were. They are in a state of receiving.

As are pets if you think about it. They lie around all day and don’t worry where their next meal is coming from. It never enters their mind, and they are always provided for.

In a sense they take for granted that life will support them. And it does.

Meanwhile, humans run around, or rush down the closest highway to get to nowhere. We worry and curse and plan. We are always chasing money. The whole day is revolving around making money.

We lost that innocent trust a long time ago, traded it for a man-made world that offers a lot of pain and suffering.

When we claim life and stop struggling, something shifts. Life becomes more beautiful and filled with situations we can be grateful for. The more accepting and grateful, the more abundant the gifts from the universe.

It’s not easy to change, but by becoming aware of what we do, and why, and what we say, and our prejudices, we can slowly shift the energy to be more supporting and loving of ourselves. The more you love yourself, the more the universe will support you!

What does this have to do with art, you ask? Really everything.

We tend to criticize and judge our art efforts harshly.

We compare ourselves to others.

We have an idea of what the art should look like, and it never does, so back condemning the effort. It can be a vicious cycle. Many stop making art because of it.

What if the art you make turns out ugly (in your opinion.) What then? Do you continue or just drop the whole adventure?

If we don’t stick with it, we miss out of the mystery. The adventure becomes a hurried rush down the highway, like with so many things we do.

We are addicted to doing and seeing results.

When you can shift and be in a receiving mode as you begin your art session, you are in a non-judgmental state and can receive the art as it manifests through you. That is such a gift!

It might not look like much, but your energy is in it. The receiving as a state of grace shows up in your art. Even if you only painted a blue line across the canvas, people will feel something.

We might admire technique but it’s the energy that draws us.

Stop chasing, become a receiver of life. Make open stillness be part of your daily process.

I did some art journaling lately. I can’t say I reached that magical state of wonder, but I had fun.

Be who you want to be.

A cat person…

Doodles

Strange lady… Summer solstice

More doodles…

I guess I was into yellow and blue this week.

To be open to receive is to allow, to accept, and live in gratitude for what is, and what appears on the page.

Follow me in Instagram. I post most photos there, @greeneearth

I have some ideas if you’re looking for a gift. My etsy shop has lots of cool gifts. Earth and Faery.

Color basics came to me as I mixed colors and saw the results. I never took any classes in color combinations, but I can see how the need is there for someone just starting out.

I went to YouTube to investigate and found several tutorials on how to mix paints. I didn’t feel like making my own, so here is one video by Kelly Eddington Watercolors. It’s a good one! Check it out if you’re unsure how to mix paints.

I recommend using scrap paper and experimenting with your primary colors. Mix them up and see what happens on paper! Practice until you understand the basic combinations and variations.

You can’t mess it up!

I was busy this week doing some art journaling, using paper I created for my online course Life’s Song. It is all about making your own papers from scratch, well, not the paper itself, but the altering and embellishment. I had lots of fun with the papers that resulted, and I will make some more. They become more authentic than the paper you buy in the stores. Take a peek.

The burnt paper became a face. I teach how to make that kind of paper in Life’s Song. Added embellishment from magazines and other papers, like the star tissue paper on the right. A gift from a friend on Christmas.

It’s all about balance and fearlessly charging into the unknown. It can be scary!

Gratitude has been a big focus in my life lately. Every day, every breath is a reason to be grateful. I feel I live in a magical universe despite the craziness going on in the world right now.

Humans need to wake up and smell the roses!

As artists we can inspire.

It has been a good week and I look forward to my next foray into art journaling…

Now I have to go and clean the bathroom…

Have a great, creative weekend, all!

Lots of love,

Maria

P.S. Life’s Song is a great way to create unique art. Check it out! Very affordable too Here is another blog post I wrote about paper, Paper Madness.

I got up very early this morning to wish the world Happy 4th, but the world was still asleep and nature didn’t care about dates. The silence was wonderful. No cars, no people, no noises of any kind. Peace reigned and everything was in order. That is how it feels when nature steps to the forefront.

All is well. Peace.

I decided to look for beauty in my backyard first thing. I saw some fallen flowers from yesterday and new flowers budding on my 2 o’clock plant (Mexican petunia.) My collard greens from last year have died in the heat. Time to pull them up and thank them for their service. Come late August I will plant some tomatoes.

Today, I might paint the flowers I saw; red geraniums, some unnamed pink flower, white wild flower, yellow allamanda, and I still have a few jasmine blooms.

Red geraniumBeautyStar jasmine

Woodpeckers, red cardinals, tufted titmice, chickadees, and squirrels were out looking for food, but they were quiet. I feed the birds so there is traffic all day long at the bird feeder. The squirrels are the fattest in the area.

Red cardinal

Every morning I have a choice, to think about what isn’t working in my life, or cheer myself on for what works, and look for beauty all around.

It’s a lot more fun looking for beauty than focus on negativity. I also have a gratitude journal going, and I write down everything I’m grateful for. This is my morning tea ritual, Earl Grey and gratitude. That would make a good title for something…

There are so many things to be grateful for and we live in the midst of magic. Nature is magical to me. Life is magical when I allow it to be.

Do you look for beauty when you go outside?

I’m working on seeing more beauty in people, and sometimes that can be a challenge, but it’s there.

What are you grateful for this coming Thanksgiving holiday and every day?

If you’re not feeling grateful for your life, you can shift your mindset easily by making a CHOICE to be mindful and look around for things to be grateful for.

Either you bitch and moan about the every day grind or you find something to be grateful for. There is always the possibility to step out of the box that you hate. All that is needed is a decision to do so, grow some balls, and claim a new destiny that is laced with happiness and gratitude.

I have a huge list of things that I’m grateful for. Art is pretty high up on the list since it’s my deepest passion. Lately I’ve been thankful that I can let loose and create like a child again. Judgment is a heavy yoke to carry, so why carry it? Young children don’t judge art.

Every moment is new, truly.

Every day is another chance to make things better for yourself and others. When you’re happy and doing well, you walk around inspiring others just by being. That is pretty awesome.

Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for today and include three passions you have but never make any time for. Which one has the highest charge? Take a step even if it’s tiny toward manifesting that passion. Small steps create big goals. What makes your heart sing?

There is no time to waste on nonsense that other people told us to do. How do you want your life to shape up from now on?

I’m going deeper into my art. I can’t really set a creative goal since I never know in what direction the art will lead me, but I do have a practical goal: do some art activity every day! Funny how good that makes me feel…

Feel good today. Gratitude will automatically make you feel good. 🙂 A first step, right?

Thank you all who read this blog. I’m truly grateful for you, and many blessings this holiday season coming up at warp speed.

I made an art video that was supposed to be “raw” unplanned art and it turned out to be doodle mania. Link HERE.